Sunday, August 9, 2009

Birds in Flight... Part 3

Well, the final edition for this series will cover the actual techniques involved in obtaining the shots. The most important thing to keep in mind while out shooting BIF, is light. We need to keep the light at our back, but also remember, back lighting can be interesting too.

Most of the BIF shooting I do is in the winter time. From October until the end of March. the duck and raptors are in abundance around here, with their plumage in prime condition.

You need to get set up in the right place, with the direction of the light and wind in mind. The wind is a big factor. Most birds will lift off and fly into the wind whenever possible, giving them more lift.

With ducks, you need to be at a park, marina, or a pier... wait patiently for a fly-by, and shoot at your highest frame rate. With raptors, you will find them high in trees, or telephone poles. It is best to set up with the light at your back, and hopefully the wind too. Wait until they decide to fly on their own, and try to keep them in the frame while shooting... it is challenging!

The nice images of BIF are taken with some landscape in the background. This concept makes the challenge even greater! We need a higher point of view, proper settings for the auto focus, and a lot of skill to keep the bird in the frame, and in focus.

I wish you good luck, and please contact me if you have any questions. With my business, I do one on one training, and email consulting to help people learn the skills and techniques of wildlife photography.. please email me at ray@raymondbarlow.com